NEVER BEFORE HAS APRILIA BEEN SO FAR FORWARD IN MOTOGP
ESPARGARÓ: "WE ARE CONTENDERS FOR THE TOP POSITIONS"

In qualifying, Aleix Espargaró confirmed the qualities demonstrated in free practice. On the Motegi track he took the fourth best time, coming just 44 thousandths from a brilliant first row and now he is one of the protagonists for the race tomorrow. After an excellent Friday (second in the first free practice session and third in the second), Aleix easily went straight through to Q2 where, as he has done throughout this Japanese round, he battled with the best for the top positions, proof of the competitive level he has reached.

In the decisive session, characterised by a damp track with some dry spots, Aleix took advantage of the confidence gained on his Aprilia and stopped the clock at 1'53.947 on his decisive lap, earning the fourth spot and the second row of the starting grid for tomorrow. Never before in MotoGP history has an Aprilia started so far forward. This is a result that rewards Aleix's talent and the hard work of the Italian Racing Department who, throughout the season, have developed the RS-GP, the youngest bike on the entire grid.

Sam Lowes paid the price for the conditions of the Japanese track, difficult to interpret as it began to dry out. However, even though he was not able to reap the benefits of the work done yesterday in the wet, he improved compared to recent races, finishing in 18th place to earn a spot on the sixth row of the starting grid.

ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"I am definitely satisfied, not only with the qualifiers, but with the entire weekend so far. We have been competitive in every session and we showed that we have a great pace in the wet. Qualifying was demanding. The track in mixed conditions is certainly not the optimum situation for us. In any case, I was able to earn a good starting position, the best for Aprilia in MotoGP, and for this I must thank the entire team. We need to keep going like this. As for my choice of tyres if the track is very wet, that is not a problem. I hope it rains tomorrow because in those conditions we demonstrated that we can be extremely fast and consistent. If we look at the practice sessions, we are in the group contending for the top positions, but on Sunday anything can happen. A lot of riders who are having difficulties today, like Rossi and Viñales, will be in the game for the race."

SAM LOWES
"Unfortunately, qualifying was the worst session of the weekend for me. Especially because the conditions were intermediate and I still lack experience with the MotoGP bike. In FP3 I made a mistake on my last flying lap which would have let me go straight through to Q2, whereas in qualifying we decided not to change the tyres and, seeing how our rivals did, that definitely cost us a few tenths. In any case, we worked well in view of the race. If we have a wet track tomorrow, it would not be unrealistic to aim for a top 10 finish."

Michelin has announced a rebate to all National Association of Blood Bikes (NABB) members when they purchase a set of Michelin tyres from participating dealers.

In recognition of the vital work NABB members provide for the community, the leading tyre manufacturer is awarding a £30 (€35 in the Republic of Ireland) rebate on Michelin Pilot Road 4, Pilot Road 4 GT, Pilot Road 4 Trail and Anakee 3 tyres fitted to a liveried motorcycle by an approved dealer.

This offer is available until the end of the year, and is a mark of Michelin’s pride in the services provided by NABB members throughout the UK and Ireland.

Since its inception as an umbrella organisation in 2008, NABB has successfully promoted and been actively involved in the growth of numerous independent Blood Bike groups across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

With 2,700 volunteers nationwide, the service completed more than 56,000 vital runs in 2016.  These requests were to transport anything from whole blood (red cells), platelets, plasma, serum, surgical instruments to patient’s notes, X-rays, human donor milk and MRI scans. Requests range from urgent (Priority 2), through to emergency (Priority 1) life-threatening scenarios. Although these groups have saved a significant amount of money for hospitals providing their services free of charge, they are primarily acknowledged by their client hospitals as providing a professional and high-quality service.

To find out how to donate or volunteer visit www.bloodbikes.org.uk

For more information on the Michelin range visit moto.michelin.co.uk

KICKBACK Motorcycle Show is to host an AutoJumble at the next event which is at Stoneleigh Park (Warwickshire) on 7-8th April 2018.

www.thecustomshow.com

AFTER THE NICE RESULT IN ARAGÓN, APRILIA IS ON THE HUNT FOR A POSITIVE STREAK

The longest stretch of away races for the year is about to begin. Japan, Australia and Malaysia will be hosting the three MotoGP races in a row, leading up to the grand finale in Valencia. The Twin Ring of Motegi, the Japanese circuit that has hosted MotoGP since 1999, is the first stop on the world tour.

Aprilia is headed to Motegi tempered by the nice sixth place finish Aleix Espargaró brought home from Aragón, less than seven seconds behind the winner. It was a prestigious placement but no surprise, given the constant improvement in performance by the RS-GP that was lacking only the culmination in a race to demonstrate its potential.

ALEIX ESPARGARO'
"I love Japan. For me it is one of the best countries in the world. Motegi is definitely a demanding circuit for us with its violent accelerations. We did a great job in Aragón. We have a truly competitive bike and I will give 100% to achieve the maximum possible result. The atmosphere on the team is fantastic. I can't wait to spend almost a month with the guys."

SAM LOWES
"I am excited, not only for the Motegi race, but for the three weekends in a row. It will be important to start well in order to then keep our confidence up throughout the entire tour. I like Japan and I can't wait to depart. My goal is to finish in the points zone and especially to reduce the gap behind the top riders."

ROMANO ALBESIANO - APRILIA RACING MANAGER
"The Twin Ring is a decidedly demanding track, both on acceleration and therefore wheelies and, above all, on the braking system. We are coming from an excellent performance in the last race and in 2016 we interpreted the Japanese track well. From a technical point of view, we will be experimenting a new configuration of the fuel feed system with the goal of changing torque output."

FAUSTO GRESINI - TEAM MANAGER
"The triple-header is a tough tour, starting with Japan. This is the home track for three of the manufacturers competing in MotoGP, a track with long straights and significant braking systems. Our primary goal must be to confirm the good results from Aragón, consolidating the potential that we demonstrated with our performance in the race. Doing well in the season finale also means setting up our work for 2018 with confidence and motivation. Three races in a row put the team and riders to the test, so going back home with plenty of spoils is fundamental."